2120-0659 Supporting Statement A -clean V4 12-04-20

Supporting Statement A

[Noise Certification Standards for Subsonic Jet Airplanes and Subsonic Transport Category Large Airplanes]

1. Explain the circumstances that make the collection of information necessary. Identify any legal or administrative requirements that necessitate the collection.

The collection involves proposed aircraft noise certification regulations of 14 CFR part 36 for jet airplanes and subsonic transport category large airplanes. The information collected are the results of noise certification tests that demonstrate compliance with 14 CFR part 36. The original information collection was implemented to show compliance in accordance with the Aircraft Noise Abatement Act of 1968; that statute is now part of the overall codification of the FAA’s regulatory authority over aircraft noise in 49 U.S.C. 44715. For the renewal, the FAA proposes to maintain this PRA collection for at an estimate of 14 total noise certification projects per year. Each applicant’s collected information is incorporated into a noise compliance report that is provided to and approved by the FAA. The noise compliance report is used by the FAA in making a finding that the aircraft is in noise compliance with the regulations. These compliance reports are required only once when an applicant wants to certificate an aircraft type. Without this data collection, the FAA would be unable to make the required noise certification compliance finding.

2. Indicate how, by whom, and for what purpose the information is to be used. Except for a new collection, indicate the actual use the agency has made of the information received from the current collection.

Per 14 CFR Part 36 Section A36.5.2, it requires aircraft certification applicants to include flight test results in their noise certification compliance report. For aircraft type certification, an applicant certifies an airplane once. Previous of this renewal, FAA estimates that there will be about 14 noise certification projects involving flight test undertaken each year. With the inclusion of supersonic airplanes, the total will increase to 16 collections per year. The applicant’s collected information is incorporated into a noise compliance report that is provided to and approved by the FAA. The noise compliance report is used by the FAA in making a finding that the airplane is in compliance with the regulations.

FAA Aircraft Certification Offices (ACOs) will retain control over the information and safeguard it from improper access, modification, and destruction, consistent with FAA standards for confidentiality, privacy, and electronic information..

FAA does not disseminate the information to the public, and return the sensitive information back to the applicant after technical review of the test data collection.

1. The collection is mandatory for determination of noise compliance to be considered in issuance of a aircraft type certificate..

2. Aircraft manufacturers seeking type certification.

3. This collection reports on the demonstration of flight test noise data necessary to show noise compliance of the lastest noise standards..

4. Collection frequency is per applicant for a given type aircraft intended for certification..

5. Per 14 CFR Part 36 Section A36.5.2, it requires aircraft certification applicants to prepare flight test noise results that demonstrate noise certification compliance of the latest standards/regulations.

6. Only the FAA aircraft certification offices received the collection information. .

7. The regulation in 14 CFR Part 36 succinctly prescribe technical standards and procedures in the measurement of noise from aircraft in order to demonstrate compliance of noise limits deemed allowable for issuance of a type certificate.

3. Describe whether, and to what extent, the collection of information involves the use of automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

The small number of respondents does not warrant improved information technology. However, FAA ACO will accept electronic documentation if the applicant decides to submit compliance report by electronic format of .pdf to the FAA.

4. Describe efforts to identify duplication. Show specifically why any similar information already available cannot be used or modified for use for the purposes described in Item 2 above.

There is no known source of this aircraft specific information, since it is a submission of proprietary information collected by an applicant in order to demonstrate compliance with part 36. It is not believed that similar information is already available.

5. If the collection of information involves small businesses or other small entities, describe the methods used to minimize burden.

The reporting requirements do not involve small businesses.

6. Describe the consequence to Federal program or policy activities if the collection is not conducted or is conducted less frequently, as well as any technical or legal obstacles to reducing burden.

These compliance reports are required only once when an applicant wants to certify an aircraft. Without this data collection, the FAA would be unable to make a noise certification compliance finding and cannot issue a type certificate for the aircraft to operate.

7. Explain any special circumstances that would cause an information collection to be conducted in a manner:

• requiring respondents to report information to the agency more often than quarterly;

• requiring respondents to prepare a written response to a collection of information in fewer than 30 days after receipt of it;

• requiring respondents to submit more than an original and two copies of any document; requiring respondents to retain records, other than health, medical, government contract, grant-in-aid, or tax records, for more than three years;

• in connection with a statistical survey, that is not designed to produce valid and reliable results that can be generalized to the universe of study;

• requiring the use of a statistical data classification that has not been reviewed and approved by OMB;

• that includes a pledge of confidentiality that is not supported by authority established in statute or regulation, that is not supported by disclosure and data security policies that are consistent with the pledge, or which unnecessarily impedes sharing of data with other agencies for compatible confidential use; or

• requiring respondents to submit proprietary trade secrets, or other confidential information unless the agency can demonstrate that it has instituted procedures to protect the information's confidentiality to the extent permitted by law.

There are no special circumstances

8. Provide information on the PRA Federal Register Notice that solicited public comments on the information collection prior to this submission. Summarize the public comments received in response to that notice and describe the actions taken by the agency in response to those comments. Describe the efforts to consult with persons outside the agency to obtain their views on the availability of data, frequency of collection, the clarity of instructions and recordkeeping, disclosure, or reporting format (if any), and on the data elements to be recorded, disclosed, or reported.

A Federal Register Notice published on October 21, 2020 (85 FR 67089) solicited public comment. No comments were received.

9. Explain any decisions to provide payments or gifts to respondents, other than remuneration of contractors or grantees.

There are no circumstances that involve payments or gifts to respondents.

10. Describe any assurance of confidentiality provided to respondents and the basis for assurance in statute, regulation, or agency policy.

If proprietary information is submitted, it will be protected in accordance with appropriate laws.

11. Provide additional justification for any questions of a sensitive nature, such as sexual behavior and attitudes, religious beliefs, and other matters that are commonly considered private.

There are no questions of a sensitive nature.

12. Provide estimates of the hour burden of the collection of information.

The burden was estimated based on previous compliance report data collection from 2017 to 2020, which indicated a reduction in number of respondents from the prior estimate of 15 to 14 due to the negative impact of COVID pandemic on aviation.

Summary (Annual numbers)	Reporting	Recordkeeping
IC 1
# of Respondents	14	0
# of Responses per respondent	1	0
Time per Response	200 hours per applicant for the compliance report	0
Total # of responses	14	0
Total burden (hours)	2800 hours for the annual time estimate of compliance reports	0

Total annualized cost to the respondents for the hour burden is estimated at $273,700 per year. This is based on 14 requests per year times 200 hours per applicant (to prepare and submit report) at $ 97.74 per hour. For a private industry worker working full-time in trade, manufacturing of aircraft, the base 2020 wage rate is $ 48.87* per hour. To estimate total compensation wage rate, the HHS RIA estimation method of accounting for fringe benefits and overhead costs is estimated by doubling the pre-taxed wage (see table) that makes total compensation $97.74 per hour.

Occupational group /series	2020 wage rates	$/hour
private industry worker/ Full time in Manufacturing of Aircraft	Base	$ 48.87*
	Overhead & fringe benefits (per HHS RIA Guidance1) = 2 X pre-taxed wage	X 2
	Total compensation	$97.74

* “EMPLOYER COSTS FOR EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION – 2018 formula,” Bureau of Labor Statistics. Employee costs for private industry workers in Series: Full time, Manufacturing of Aircraft. [https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/ecec.pdf]

¹ Source: U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics,

https://www.bls.gov/web/empsit/ceseeb3a.htm#ce_ee_table3a.f.p

Table B-3a. Average hourly and weekly earnings of all employees on private nonfarm payrolls by industry sector, seasonally adjusted for Manufacturing of Aircraft (Aug 2020).

Respondents: Aircraft manufacturer/applicant seeking type certification

Frequency: Estimated 14 total applicants per year

Estimated Average Burden per Response: Estimated 200 hours per applicant for the compliance report

Estimated Total Annual Burden: $19,550 per applicant or cumulative total $273,700 per year for 14 applicants

There will be a total of 14 respondents for domestic projects who will report annually.

13. Provide an estimate for the total annual cost burden to respondents or record keepers resulting from the collection of information.

There is no additional start-up cost not already included in question 12.

14. Provide estimates of annualized costs to the Federal government. Also, provide a description of the method used to estimate cost, which should include quantification of hours, operational expenses (such as equipment, overhead, printing, and support staff), and any other expense that would not have been incurred without this collection of information.

Government costs are estimated as $58,240 per year. The cost is based on 14 requests per year, and 80 hours per response at $52.00 per hour*.

*Aerospace Engineer (experiencd) $51.84/hr, per www.sokanu.com/careers/aerospace-engineer/salary/#compare.

15. Explain the reasons for any program changes or adjustments.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has reduced the demand for new aircraft that require noise certification. The conservative reduction of 1 applicant is anticipated due to the negative impact of COVID pandemic on aviation. This reduction of annual time burden is due to the highly improve reporting efficiency from computer automation not previously accounted.

16. For collections of information whose results will be published, outline plans for tabulation and publication. Address any complex analytical techniques that will be used. Provide the time schedule for the entire project, including beginning and ending dates of the collection of information, completion of report, publication dates, and other actions.

The results will not be published and there is no statistical analysis. The collection of information does not employ statistical methods.

17. If seeking approval to not display the expiration date for OMB approval of the information collection, explain the reasons why display would be inappropriate.

No approval is sought.

18. Explain each exception to the topics of the certification statement identified in “Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions.”

There are no exceptions identified in Item 19 of OMB Form 83-1.